Moving to new home
The blog provider has just abruptly told me that my site has expired. And frankly, I've been feeling trapped here as the software is no longer under development and it's preventing me from doing things I want/need to do. So Freelance Survivor will be moving to a new home over the next 10 days. Stay tuned.
Guest Article: How to Stop Thinking Like a Hobbyist and Start Thinking Like a Professional
There is a world of difference between the business hobbyists and the business professional. First of all, a lot of talented hobbyists think they’re professionals, but they can’t manage to twist their brain enough to think like the master of an empire. They think too small, too passively, and too emotionally to build an empire. They can’t detatch their hearts from their heads. They fumble along in Guessland instead of playing with numbers (they often hate numbers) and operating like a business. So, they may be doomed to always having a hobby instead of a leave-the-day-job business.
All is not lost. They can either outsource some things — like marketing and planning — or they can learn to think like professionals instead of artists/hobbyists. They can let someone else do the work they can’t, or they can figure out how to do it themselves with the right frame of mind.
Most people will have some hobbyist and some professional in them. I know I do because sometimes I would rather goof off than write a plan, but I'm also a classic Type A. There is nothing wrong with being a hobbyist - especially if you like your day job and have no designs on turning your hobby into an enterprise.
But if you're not satisfied with the status quo, understanding and rectifying these 8 differences in the way the hobbyist and the professional think may help you.
I’ve observed these traits through my own experience and that of others. I don’t claim to have any kind of an empire, but I’ve spent a great deal of time with people who do. And I know that any gifted hobbyist who can twist his mind to think like a professional has the capacity to conquer the world.
1. Hobbyists blame others, professionals blame themselves.
It’s fun to blame someone else for your troubles, isn’t it? Because, let’s face it, the problems you’re having in life can’t possibly be your fault. If you’re overweight, it’s your genes. If you hate your job, it’s the company’s fault. And if your products aren’t moving? Well? It’s the economy. A vendor’s policies. The wind blowing from the east. A quite tempting prospect for someone who lacks the confidence and skill it takes to build an empire. And a fine scapegoat, too.
But the successful executives, C-levels, and entrepreneurs of the world didn’t get to the top by blaming someone else for their troubles. By balking at a glass ceiling. By criticizing bosses behind their backs. Instead, they see every obstacle as an opportunity. When they run into a wall, they don’t curse the wall. They don’t scream at the guy who built the wall, the entity that approved the structure, or the blasted wind that isn’t blowing strong enough to take it down.
They find a way to work with it or to work around it. Nobody ever built an empire by complaining about someone else’s failings. You only build empires by taking responsibility for everything that happens to your business and finding clever ways around the walls that doesn’t involve pointing fingers, crying, or failing to recognize your contribution to your situation.
2. Hobbyists complain, professionals act.
It happens all the time. A group of so-called business owners get together to not only blame someone else for their troubles, but to complain about it too. To lawyers, to associations, to anyone who doesn’t have the wherewithall to ignore them or tell them to sod off. Belaboring moot points. And those wolves feed on each other like cannibals until, in the end, nothing is left but a few canine carcasses and the buzzards flying overhead.
Meanwhile, the professionals of the world are taking action. In a sore economy, the CEO of Ford (Alan Mulally) developed the right people to oversee product development, marketing, and finance to help the company build products people actually wanted to buy, find the people who wanted to buy them, and cut costs at the same time to make them profitable last quarter.
If you do not want to build an empire, I encourage you to play with the carnivorous wolves. Spend as much time with them as it takes to whine and moan and slap your hand on your forehead to proclaim “Alas! Woe is me!”. But those who spend their time changing the way they do business, building new products, cutting costs, and finding new markets are the ones who will still be standing when the wolves are nothing but a pulpy mass of smelly goo.
3. Hobbyists guess, professionals crunch.
“Well…” they seem to think… “I guess I, a single person who in no way consitutes a reasonable sample size, would pay $20 for this bloofit. So I’ll price it at $20. If it doesn’t sell, I’ll lower the price.” Nevermind that it cost her $28 to conceptualize, create, build, and market it. And, “Hm. I’m not sure who my market is but I think it’s women between 20 and 60 who like jewelry.” Nevermind that she just described most women alive today.
People who lack confidence in themselves and their business often operate this way. They have great artistic talent and they so want to succeed, but they think like the uninitiated who make decisions based more on emotion than logic. They guess using unproven and highly flawed methods that have little or no basis in reality. And, my friends, that’s no way to run a business.
The professionals, however, don’t suppose.
They come as close to knowing as possible. The analyze the data. They have sophisticated spreadsheets and formulas to help them calculate costs and figure out how set prices so their profitability is comfortable. They narrow their market based on a broad set of criteria so they can say, “One target market is women between 25 and 35 who are college educated, have higher than average incomes, and spend time playing foosball with their overabundance of male friends.”
They do not operate in vagueness but in near-certainties. They crunch numbers and make logical (not emotional) decisions based on the results. They act and react in ways that are designed to grow business, not their egos.
4. Hobbyists get attached, professionals remain aloof.
Artists and hobbyists alike really love the work they do. They are passionate and excited and they care, oh how they care, about each little bloofit they create.
Professionals may care, but they don’t become too emotionally attached to a given product. If a product or product line isn’t moving, no matter how variably it’s marketed or how low the price, the hobbyist will cling to it hoping against sense that someone someday will love it as much as they do.
Professionals don’t. They set rules in advance to determine at what point a product — no matter how much they love it or how much faith they had in it — will be discontinued or rebranded or remarketed so it’s no longer an unprofitable cost center. They don’t allow themselves to become TOO attached for fear that their passion will interfere with their ability to survive as a business.
5. Hobbyists flow, professionals plan.
“Hm. I think I’ll try to run an ad this month and see what happens.” This is the way hobbyists think. It’s one of the things their friends love about them. They’re laid back. They go with the flow. If their friends want to have Thai for dinner, they won’t mind going even though they’d probably rather have Ethiopian.
Professionals don’t — and probably can’t — think that way. With their Type A personalities, they’re all Monica Geller all the time. They plan and plan and decide and prepare and have contingency plans and know what they’re going to do no matter what obstacles might befall them. They have business plans and marketing plans and product development plans and financial plans. They sometimes even plan to plan, making outlines and schedules and tables and charts. They don’t pussyfoot around when it comes to being prepared.
Failing to plan, in the long run, really is planning to fail. Even if you change your plans along the way, having them in the first place gives you direction and helps you focus your attention where it’s most profitable. Instead of getting derailed by some tangent.
6. Hobbyists hope, professionals expect.
Anyone going into business for themselves is hopeful that it will survive. They want, they might pray, they ask others to wish them well. But those who really excel go one stop further. Professionals fully expect to succeed. They don’t think, “I really hope I do well.” Instead they think, “I’m going to do well and this is how and why and when.” They crunch the numbers and plan and leave emotion out of it and this propensity launches them into a state of expectation rather than hope.
Expectation is far more active than hope, which is quite passive. Expectation forces a person to act and take responsibility, where hope leaves it to the fates. Expectation is positive and even aggressive where hope stands still and waits. Hope might get you what you want, but expectation involves you in your own outcomes and offers a far more likely-to-succeed alternative to hope.
7. Hobbyists are cautious, professionals are risk-takers.
When in doubt, hobbyists stand still. They might ask some questions of other hobbyists. They might read a few articles. But all in all, they are afraid to take swift action. It ties to their general hippiesque go-with-the-flow way about the world. “What’s meant to be will be and if I’m not sure, I’m going to do nothing.”
Professionals, on the other hand, act. They trust their instincts even if their instincts go against conventional wisdom. They’re willing to spend money on risk. They gamble. They aren’t afraid to make mistakes because they know if they screw up, they’ll be able to find a way to fix it. They have confidence. They are assertive, even aggressive. They take action even if they aren’t certain that action is going to lead to positive results.
A hobbyist will limit how much money they spend on marketing and advertising, for instance. They don’t know a lot about it, so they’re afraid of screwing it up. The professional doesn’t care about screwing up. He knows that screwing up just means learning. Learning what not to do. Learning how to do it better next time. Learning one more step toward success.
8. Hobbyists think small, professionals think big.
Hobbyists intrinsically limit themselves. They think in terms of how one little vendor (Etsy, for instance) has a lot of power over their business. They worry a lot about how whatever that vendor is doing. They believe that vendor defines that businesses success or failure.
Professionals can’t be bothered. They observe what a given vendor is doing and may take some action, but they recognize that they are not the captors of the professionial’s business. They know they have limited choices and make decisions accordingly. If that vendor isn’t working for them anymore, they don’t take him out back, beat him with a tire iron, and break his kneecaps. They just find a new vendor. They think bigger than a single vendor. Bigger than a single marketing source. Bigger than the small time.
Professionals realize the world is their oyster and no single vendor, marketing source, or buyer is going to prevent them from building an empire. Their empires exist independently. Everything else is just a tool of world domination.
Announcing "Dee's Adornments," Handmade Jewelry
Like most freelancers, I'm typically working on many projects at once. One of these is "Dee's Adornments," an online shop where I'm selling the results of my newish hobby, making jewelry. I'm pretty excited by this. Hope you drop by and check it out!
Now back to more talk about freelancing.
Researching Locations with Google Earth: Part 1
You might be familiar with services such as Mapquest and Google Maps that help you to find your way between destinations. If you live in a town like mine, you might have even seen a newspaper article that Google's street view van came through the area, recording what the place looked like along with issues such as who was on the street at the time and maybe even who was walking past a window in their house naked--they're still working out some of the privacy issues and kinks. Street view allows you to zoom in so close in Google Maps that you can actually see footage of the place recorded by the vans, really seeing the area like someone on the street would.
Now, I don't want this article to come off as a Google ad. In fact, I have a number of issues with Google and its policies. However, in their drive to become THE go-to place for data and information on everything, they have hit a few home runs in the way of making the world a bit smaller. You can use Google Earth to not only see what a location looks like from an orbiting satellite, but also to zoom in and get a better look.
How Low Can You Go?
How far you can zoom in for a particular location depends on a number of factors, such as:
- If for some reason the location is purposely set in Google to prevent you from zooming too close. This situation occurs for war zones, sensitive security areas, and other locations where a government entity approaches Google on this topic.
- If someone involved with the location has paid to have additional images taken with special flights or some other method, allowing you to zoom in further and see more detail.
- If someone has built a 3-D model of any part of the location, allowing you to explore it.
- If the Google Street View van has been through the area.
Is There Real Practical Use?
A friend recently told me that she was working on a story and wanted to be sure how a particular downtown Vancouver location was laid out. She could have driven up from Seattle, or begged me to drive down to Vancouver and check, but instead she decided to try out Google Earth. Since her interest involved a major city her chances were pretty good that she'd find what she needed, and lo and behold, she was able to confirm exactly what she needed to, saving both of us gas and time (not to mention begging and negotiating).
While you're not seeing a live video feed of a location, there is also the option of going back in time. Each time an image of an area is updated, the older images are preserved and remain accessible. Just activate the timeline feature and drag the slider. If there aren't any older pictures available, then the image won't change.
For Some Real Fun
You can also use Google Earth to explore the oceans, the sky (the constellations, for example), the Moon, and Mars.
Next time I'll take you on a bit of a tour of using Google Earth.
Interview with a Freelancer: Kaarin Moore, Wardrobe Consultant and Freelance Writer
This interview I welcome Kaarin Moore, owner of Closet Caucus and a Freelancer. You can contact her at closetcaucus AT gmail.com and follow here on Twitter as ClosetCaucus.
DEE-ANN: Why did you choose to use your own name or start your own business to work under?
KAARIN MOORE: I currently do two types of work:
a) I own Closet Caucus, a wardrobe consulting business in DC.
b) I do multiple freelance projects outside of my primary business, including PR, resume writing, and internal communication assessments for nonprofit organizations. The road that led to this work was winding, but my past personal and professional experience built on itself and progressed to these arenas.
At the time I decided to become a freelancer I was doing communications work at a museum in DC. Internally I felt as if my time there was winding down. I yearned for a new challenge and to try something on my own.
My initial thought was to start two businesses: Closet Caucus and a catchall for my freelance communications work called Moore Inspired. From the beginning I knew that one business would move to the forefront and the other would fall away. My vision was still being defined as I quit my job and gave freelancing a try. The past two years have been about building a foundation, clearly defining goals, and building processes and systems. Closet Caucus turned out to be much more than I ever anticipated at the outset, and thus has become my primary focus.
Ultimately I feel as though my work will always be about communication. Thus, I’m turning a corner and going after / accepting new writing projects that support my Closet Caucus brand. For example, I just signed on to become a fashion columnist with Shoestring Magazine called "Practically Posh."
DEE-ANN: What type of freelance work do you do?
KAARIN MOORE: For Closet Caucus I work with individuals to help match who they are internally with what they express externally. I offer a number of services including wardrobe editing, style workshops, and a new service called “From Breakup to Bombshell” which helps men and women work through the transitional time after a relationship ends.
Although this work seems vastly different from my past experience, it all comes back to communication. Closet Caucus focuses on expression and clarity of message through the medium of clothing.
DEE-ANN: Freelancers tend to work from home, which means we can lose track of little things like wardrobe and style if we aren't careful. What advice do you have for the freelancer who wants to put on a professional face when going out into the world? Going to a face-to-face meeting in sweats and bunny slippers I hear isn't advisable.
KAARIN MOORE: If you are a freelancer you are your brand. Walking into a meeting you are your entire company, and your choices represent your work. That means dressing up for business meetings. It means minding the details.
Also, it is a myth that dressing up is uncomfortable. There are many options out there. Even if you work at your computer 90% of the time clothes can be both comfortable and polished. It doesn’t mean spending lots of cash, but it does mean keeping a conscious eye on the fact that you embody your brand.
DEE-ANN: What would you say are the similarities between wardrobe editing and prose editing? What similar issues crop up?
KAARIN MOORE: In both mediums the clutter needs to be taken out so the message isn’t muddled. Writers feel deep attachment to the words they write. In the same way, people have deep connections to clothing. Both types of editing can be an emotional experience, because it is truly about letting go. At the end of both processes, when something has been expertly edited, there is freedom in the end product.
DEE-ANN: How can freelancers express the style of their work through the style of their dress and appearance?
KAARIN MOORE: I believe that clothing can exaggerate a feeling. For example, wearing something that makes you feel sexy can push you to be cheekier or more confident. Since many freelancers work from home and don’t see their clients it can be easy to get into a pattern of wearing things that are sloppy / frumpy. Clothing can be about play – it can be about pushing a particular part of your personality to the forefront.
DEE-ANN: When would the "From Breakup to Bombshell" treatment be a good idea for a freelancer's writing style?
KAARIN MOORE: Perhaps the Breakup to Bombshell concept can be applied to particular client situations. Sometimes freelancers just have to breakup with a client. But, that “breakup” can be very difficult, especially for freelancers who feel pride in delivering the best product possible. But, terminating a client relationship isn’t necessarily a reflection on talent / ability. Sometimes partnerships just aren’t a good fit. The only thing you can do is remain confident in who you are, pick yourself up, and push onward.
DEE-ANN: How long have you been freelancing?
KAARIN MOORE: Almost 2 years.
DEE-ANN: Full time or part time?
KAARIN MOORE: Full time.
DEE-ANN: Can you describe a typical, or at least recent, project for us?
KAARIN MOORE: I recently spoke at a networking group called 40+ of Greater Washington. Branching out to speaking engagements is a whole new area personally and professionally. I would much rather work with people one on one in order to affect change. Public speaking has been baptism by fire, and has pushed me to grow.
DEE-ANN: What have you found resonates the most with your audience?
KAARIN MOORE: Being real. Being vulnerable. Telling stories that have deep roots about who we are as people and the insecurities we have with our bodies. It’s terribly frightening to talk about, but going to that place is something that everyone has experienced in some form.
DEE-ANN: How did you get into public speaking?
KAARIN MOORE: Growing up I did a lot of theater, which gave me a background for being in front of an audience. But, I must say that speaking on behalf of your own company is vastly different than acting in character in front of a large audience. Give me a play any day of the week. But public speaking? I’m still in the stage of trying not to pass out before getting behind a podium.
DEE-ANN: What is the most important piece of advice you could give to someone starting out or transitioning into your specialty?
KAARIN MOORE: Find mentors! Surrounding yourself with savvy people will help spawn growth. Freelancing / starting a business can be a solitary road, but trustworthy advisors are worth their weight in gold. I wish someone had told me at the start of my journey to seek out different types of confidants. It has taken awhile, but I have finally found a group of people who I consider to be part of my team. I strongly recommend that new freelancers seek out these types of mentors:
a) An IT advisor. It didn’t occur to me that I needed an IT advisor until I started having problems with my computer. My friend, Navin Vembar, is brilliant in many aspects of technology and is insightful regarding the latest technological trends. He helps me decipher what technical things could be beneficial to my business and what I should not invest time / energy into.
DEE-ANN: What one IT insight would you say has made the biggest difference in your business?
KAARIN MOORE: Creating and implementing a strategic social media plan. Twitter made my business that first year. I didn’t have any money to advertise, but I did put time into thinking through ways of building an audience.
b) Someone successful within your field. Kristen King is my business go-to gal. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the ethical way she conducts her company. Thus, I turn to her for advice on how to handle difficult clients, questions on billing, and topics that require both thoughtfulness and moxie.
DEE-ANN: What one piece of advice really turned on the light bulb for you on how to handle a difficult situation?
KAARIN MOORE: Kristen has a very solid sense of justice, which is an amazing personality trait. It’s something that I call “pink furry” – the ability to be kind and at the same time stand your ground. Freelancers can be placed in very vulnerable situations at times, especially when it comes to money. Sometimes clients try to get out of promises regarding payment and benefits. I witnessed a client try to pull something over on Kristen and she wasn’t taking any of it. She stood firm, and didn’t resort to being nasty / critical / angry with the wrong people. A classy move from a classy lady. Totally inspired me.
c) A mentor who knows you from a past job. Shari Werb is my former boss and a valuable resource. She knows how I work, thus is aware of my strengths and weaknesses. She is outside of my industry, which is incredibly important in order to get a broader view of my professional objectives. Shari is also a member of my target demographic so I can go to her and say, “Would this service be interesting to you? What do you think of this idea? This language?” and know that her voice represents many of my clients.
DEE-ANN: What's one area where Shari's understanding of you really made a difference?
KAARIN MOORE: A couple of months ago we were having dinner and Shari said, “What you are doing is answering a question. You are testing a hypothesis.” She went on to say that my curiosity about the connection between communication, clothes, and body image was something that I wanted to study, and that it would take me to interesting places. Her comments were salve to a place internally where I was still wrestling between the pull of two seemingly different worlds – fashion and communication. She is a person who can speak to a very quiet part of me, and thus has the ability to completely reframe things.
d) An advisor who loves you, is a cheerleader, and asks, “Are you sure?” My sister, Carey Moore, has a head for business and the rare gift to see three steps ahead. She can also say things to me that many others cannot – i.e. give me a reality check that is completely founded in love and compassion. I recently went to her with an idea and said, “What do you think?” She liked where I was going, but pointed out that I currently don’t have the infrastructure to support my idea. I still will pursue my initial plan, but will go about it in another form when the timing is correct. Carey’s honesty and ability to see problems within my structure has saved me money, aggravation, and hours of work on half-baked ideas.
DEE-ANN: How did you pull together your group of mentors? Any tips?
KAARIN MOORE: I just keep an eye out for people who are on fire. People who speak their truth and are passionate. I have never asked someone, “Hey, would you like to be my mentor?” I don’t think it works like that. Instead, I just ask someone out for a cup of coffee and ask lots of questions. Usually people are open to talking about their opinions.
DEE-ANN: What’s your favorite part of your work?
KAARIN MOORE: Closet Caucus is deeply fulfilling. The most exciting part of my job is observing as a client’s framework about his/her own beauty shifts. Watching others go from, “I feel frumpy and unattractive,” to, “I’m sexy and feel ready for anything,” in 48 hours is a high unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.
DEE-ANN: Do you find you learn anything about yourself in the process?
KAARIN MOORE: It’s amazing how people’s insecurities tend to be more alike than different. I never realized how many people feel so alone in their struggles. And for what reason? If people are feeling similar fears why aren’t they discussed? It’s pushed me to become more open and helped me realize that we are more deeply intertwined than we can possibly understand.
DEE-ANN: What would you rather farm off on someone else?
KAARIN MOORE: All of the nitty gritty work involving money. Invoicing, processing, and keeping up financially with various clients / accounts can be quite tedious.
DEE-ANN: Do you use an accountant?
KAARIN MOORE: Oh yes! My accountant is amazing. I really can’t say enough about her – she is kind, honest, spunky, and intelligent. Would recommend her services to anyone, especially freelancers:
Donna Barwick, CPA
Andrews, Barwick, & Lee
280 Charles Dimmock Parkway, #1
Colonial Heights, VA 23834
804-520-1384
DEE-ANN: As a very, very general rule, do you find wardrobe or writing clients to be easier or more difficult to work with?
KAARIN MOORE: Working with wardrobe clients takes more out of me emotionally. I do a lot of listening about a client’s life, and it’s an honor to be entrusted with that information. But, I come home from Closet Caucus appointments completely spent. It is a good kind of exhaustion, but it is still exhaustion. I’m learning about how to have empathy while keeping healthy emotional boundaries.
DEE-ANN: Anything else you’d like to share with Freelance Survivors?
KAARIN MOORE: Don’t expect everyone to understand your vision. When I decided to become a freelancer I assumed everyone would be thrilled and want me to succeed. It surprised me when some friends were not supportive. It took awhile to realize that it was okay if other people didn’t understand where I was going and why. Regardless of if I succeed or crash and burn I know that a) I’m giving it a real shot and b) it’s an amazing adventure.
The decision to live your dream is powerful. It pushes buttons within people in ways that are unexpected. Both support and resentment will come from unlikely sources. Your main job is to keep pushing toward the dream that is within you. Listen and weigh other people’s concerns and anxieties, but make sure that you take advice from those who deeply care about you and want the best for your life. Then fight like hell to make your vision a reality.
Separating my personal work site out of Freelance Survivor
It's reached the point where I'd like to focus Freelance Survivor just on itself, and let those who want to follow my other work (my articles, etc.) do so on a separate blog. To this end, I'm in the process of moving the http://www.dee-annleblanc.com/ domain to point to my new professional online home. This switch should happen within the next few days, so be sure that when you're coming here, you're coming to http://www.freelancesurvivor.com/ and not the other URL.
September Articles
CMSWire:
- Are You Ready for the Pushbutton Web?
- Alert: What's Coming for Open Source CMS in September 2009
- Drupal Gardens Screencast of Theme Builder and Export Tools
- SilverStripe CMS Extends Its Global Footprint to Australia
- Alert: What's Coming for Open Source CMS in October 2009
Interview with a Freelancer: April Michelle Davis, Editor, Indexer, and Writer
Meet April Michelle Davis, Freelance Editor, Indexer, and Writer.
DEE-ANN: Why did you choose to use your own name or start your own business to work under?
APRIL MICHELLE DAVIS: My business name is Editorial Inspirations, and it is an LLC. I chose to create a business because I thought it would look more professional. It shows that I am serious about what I do and that I am not going anywhere, making me more reliable. Also, I chose to become an LLC to protect my family in the event that I ever get sued.
DEE-ANN: What was involved in setting up your LLC?
APRIL MICHELLE DAVIS: Setting up an LLC is pretty easy, at least in Virginia. It is done through the state, so the process would be different in each state. In Virginia, I had to complete a one-page form and call to verify that my chosen business name had not already been taken. There is an annual fee of $50, and that's it!
DEE-ANN: What type of freelance work do you do?
APRIL MICHELLE DAVIS: I represent myself as a freelance editor, indexer, and writer. I have several certifications in editing, and that is what I first began doing in 2001. I have performed a variety of types of editing, such as line edit and developmental edit. Since then, I began writing and even won two Writers Digest Awards. I have also taken classes in indexing. I have worked on books, magazines, and other publications in areas such as carpentry, engineering, law, self-help, memoir, dissertations, biography, children's, and fiction.
DEE-ANN: What types of certifications, and what was involved in earning them? Do you find that they make it easier to land work?
APRIL MICHELLE DAVIS: I first obtained a certificate in editing and then one on book publishing from the University of Virginia. Each of these certificates required about 10 classes, but some of the classes overlapped. I was also working on a certificate in electronic publishing when UVA quit offering the program. I then went to EEI Communications and obtained a certificate in professional editing. This program required 11 classes in various types of editing and grammar. In this program, I had to take three elective classes, and I chose to take two in indexing.
These classes peaked my interest, and I would later pursue more education in indexing. These helped me get my first full-time position as an assistant editor for a magazine. In 2006, I began a master's degree in publishing at George Washington University. This program lasted two years, and its professors were professionals in the field, so they had a lot of relevant experience.
DEE-ANN: For those who aren't familiar with the terms, what is the difference between line editing and developmental editing?
APRIL MICHELLE DAVIS: Developmental editing is performed when the book is still being created. An editor works with the author to create a book and include all of the pertinent information. The editor also helps to rearrange the material in a logical order. A line editor comes in after this and corrects grammar, punctuation, and also makes sure that the developmental aspects of the book are in order.
DEE-ANN: What did you win the awards for?
APRIL MICHELLE DAVIS: The contest involved writing a single sentence for the opening line of a story based on a picture given.
- Writer's Digest Your Opening Line Contest - Honorable Mention (December 2006)
- Writer's Digest Your Opening Line Contest - Honorable Mention (September 2006)
DEE-ANN: What's involved in building a good index?
APRIL MICHELLE DAVIS: There is a lot to know to write a good index. I have been indexing for several years. I have taken two courses: USDA Graduate School's Basic Indexing and UCLA - Berkeley's Indexing Theory and Practice. And I still feel like there is so much to learn about indexing. Many people never even think about where an index comes from, but it is a very complex process that must be completed in a short about of time.
DEE-ANN: How long have you been freelancing?
APRIL MICHELLE DAVIS: I have been freelancing since 2001.
DEE-ANN: Full time or part time?
APRIL MICHELLE DAVIS: I began freelancing part time while holding down a full time job as an editor of a magazine. In 2007, I graduated from grad school with a degree in publishing and decided to freelance full time.
DEE-ANN: How do you feel that your graduate degree helps you in your freelancing?
APRIL MICHELLE DAVIS: A prerequisite for the graduate program was to already have a job in the publishing field. And the entire program was completed with the same students in each class, so a lot of networking and friendships grew out of the two-year program. The program helped me to visualize the entire publishing process, see what other people in the process do, and see where I fit in it.
DEE-ANN: Would you recommend that freelancers take courses in publishing? If so, what kinds?
APRIL MICHELLE DAVIS: Definitely! Courses help to keep skills updated and fresh and to practice those skills that are not used very often. Even if courses do not help land a job, they can help freelancers keep jobs by making clients happy with the skills that have been refreshed.
DEE-ANN: Can you describe a typical, or at least recent, project for us?
APRIL MICHELLE DAVIS: Because I offer a variety of services, many of my projects are very different from one another. One project I have been working on is a memoir for a man who was born in Croix des Bouquets. I have been working with the author to smooth his broken English and make the story flow. Another recent project was editing and then indexing the history of a town in Minnesota.
DEE-ANN: Are there any special challenges in working with someone whose first language isn't English?
APRIL MICHELLE DAVIS: One major challenge of working with ESL authors is to figure out what they are trying to say. Once that has been accomplished the editor has to rewrite the text so it is understandable to the general reader, but also sounds like the ESL author wrote it. Keeping the author's tone can be tricky while maintaining the clarity of the manuscript.
DEE-ANN: About how much of your time do you spend on the business side, and how much on creating?
APRIL MICHELLE DAVIS: In general, I probably spend about 10% on the business side. I usually try to work on the business side, such as creating new projects in my database that was created just for me or creating invoices as they come along, rather than letting them pile up.
DEE-ANN: Could you describe your database? What program is it in? How do you use it?
APRIL MICHELLE DAVIS: The database my husband created is awesome! It is in Microsoft Access. When I receive a project, I enter in the title of the project, select the client it came from, and insert the date received. When the project is completed, I insert the services performed, the date of completion, and the date I am sending out the invoice. When I receive payment, I insert that date, and I also insert the date the payment is deposited. All of that occurs in just one table. From that table, I can see reports of pending projects and projects completed from any given year. I also have a table in Access for creating estimates on projects, all of my client contact information, my expenses, and my car expenses. At the end of the year, I simply print out the reports for taxes.
DEE-ANN: What is the most important piece of advice you could give to someone starting out or transitioning into your specialty?
APRIL MICHELLE DAVIS: Network and never give up. It was really hard for me to get my first break in the field, but once I did each new client was a little easier to obtain. I got my first break from meeting someone and then periodically touching base until he finally gave in and gave me a project. His company has been a client of mine since 2002.
DEE-ANN: What’s your favorite part of your work?
APRIL MICHELLE DAVIS: I love the flexibility and the lack of office politics. I was never very good with the office politics because I am too independent. I really enjoy the flexibility because I can work really hard one day and take the next day off if there is something going on that I would like to participate in. Now that I have a son, I love that I can take him to the library for story time on Wednesday mornings. Though some people think I have the life because I work from home, I find it difficult to separate work and home life. When I have down time, I seem to gravitate to my computer and work on my current project or begin reading emails.
DEE-ANN: Do you have any work/life balance tips you'd like to share?
APRIL MICHELLE DAVIS: Balancing work and life can be hard, especially when I have a laptop and can read my emails in bed, in the living room, in the kitchen, everywhere. To help me balance my time, I have a lot of rules for my email accounts, and I prioritize the various folders. When I have a lot of work, I only read from two of the folders and let the others pile up.
Though I freelance full time, I also have a young son who stays home with me. I work when he sleeps. Therefore, I am extremely busy, but I am forced to stop working and to be with him when he is awake. In the beginning, I felt like I was waiting for each nap so I could do more work. I had to change my mindset and learn to enjoy the time I got to be with him, but also to enjoy his naps so that I could feel like I have accomplished something.
To help with the balance, my husband and I give each other one night a week to do whatever we please. Sometimes I catch up on work or emails or go grocery shopping. Though they are not what I would want to necessarily do on a night out, I get to choose what to do and getting chores done does make me feel like I have accomplished something and make my days less stressful, so I can enjoy being with my son and playing with him even more.
DEE-ANN: What would you rather farm off on someone else?
APRIL MICHELLE DAVIS: Nothing! If I am willing to take a project, I want to do the work. If I had to pick something, I would like to have an intern to work on my website and internet advertising.
DEE-ANN: Anything else you’d like to share with Freelance Survivors?
APRIL MICHELLE DAVIS: Being a freelancer has been my dream since undergraduate college. With a lot of hard work and determination, I was finally able to achieve it, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
August Articles
CMSWire:
Open Source Is Not Just a Marketing Term
Alert: What's Coming for Open Source CMS in September 2009
Linux.com:
Linux Migration Guide: Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Linux Maintenance
My articles for the rest of July
In CMSWire:
- Plone Web CMS Update - What's Coming in v4
- Linked Data on the Web - Becoming Reality in the UK
- Edit OWL 2.0 Ontologies With New Protege 4.0
- Latest Eclipse Release Makes Open Source CMS Life Easier
- What's Coming for Open Source CMS in August 2009
Others:
- I'm guest hosting the Fierce Content Management newsletter while Ron Miller's on vacation, my entries there are from July 29 and August 5, with more coming August 12
- Linux Migration Guide: Keep Your Windows Games
